Good Food Blog

Seville oranges

Posted at 3:09PM, 05 February 2008 by Mary Cadogan - Food writer

At this time of year I always look out for the highly seasonal bitter Seville oranges that are so perfect for making marmalade. I love making preserves of all kinds, and even though I'm not a great fan of eating marmalade I love the processes involved. All that boiling, stirring, simmering, straining and potting is strangely satisfying and I love the way it fills the house with a tantalisingly tangy fragrance.

And of course sevilles are the only citrus fruit where the peel turns beautifully translucent when cooked. So I was a bit disappointed to discover that Thierry, our ever enthusiastic village fruit and veg man, didn't have a clue what I was talking about when I asked him if he had any. Apparently, the French usually make their marmalade with sweet oranges which results in a sort of orange jam. Not the same at all.

But this is a man who loves a challenge (he managed to sell parsnips to the French this Christmas, which is quite an achievement as they are traditionally only thought fit for cattle food) and duly returned from the market the next morning with huge box of wonderful sevilles (oranges amère). So I spent the afternoon making a big batch of Whiskey marmalade made rich and dark with a couple of spoonfuls of treacle and rang round all the cooks I knew to spread the word.

A few days later, Thierry still had loads to sell, and as they are untreated they were starting to deteriorate. I felt a weight of responsibility resting on my shoulders so I put together a tasting pack for his customers consisting of a pot of home made marmalade, some plastic tasting spoons and my recipe translated into French, plus a suggestion for simmering the marmalade with port or red wine to turn it into a sauce for duck.

Incidentally, the fragrant peel and tangy juice is gorgeous in salad dressings instead of vinegar and can be used in place of lemon in the classic lemon tart. Tomorrow I'll check if my efforts have paid off, though I'm a bit worried as Thierry loved the marmalade so much he's eaten half the jar before any of his customers got a look in.

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Comments

  • Binder photo Debbies food
    5 February 2008, 5:09PM

    Debbies food

    Open QuoteDear Mary, I also live in SW France and have still not managed to find Seville Oranges. Perhaps I will have to pop over the border to Spain! Can you please help me. As you well know buying pork with the fat on for lovely crackling is also nigh on impossible in France although I think the pork here is wonderful. Can you tell me what to ask for if you know. Many thanks - I love your recipes and look forward to receiving my copy of Good Food Magazine each month.

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  • Binder photo Mary Cadogan
    5 February 2008, 5:22PM

    Mary Cadogan

    Open QuoteThe only cut I have seen here in France that is sold with the skin on is Poitrine de porc(belly pork). This is a brilliant cut for slow roasting and makes superb crackling. I you want a less fatty piece you need to chat up your butcher and ask for Roti de porc avec la peau(Roasting joint with skin) Good luck!

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  • Binder photo jeanette
    6 February 2008, 5:37PM

    jeanette

    Open Quote does anyone know what it is that you can add to seville marmalade to make it transparent ,ive just seen some on tv ( article about the marmalade festival)and it looked almost see through

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  • Binder photo gillian
    6 February 2008, 5:43PM

    gillian

    Open QuoteI love making and eating marmalade and at this time of year our local delicatessen always stocks Seville oranges. However I have never made whisky marmalade and living here in the north east of Scotland I really have no excuse do I, so I will be giving your recipe a test drive Mary in the very near future.

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  • Binder photo Shelagh
    7 February 2008, 2:44PM

    Shelagh

    Open QuoteDear Mary I also live near Angouleme and will be trying out your restaurant recommendation shortly. If you are near St Claud, La Plantane is under new ownership and does a good lunch. Regarding your comments on chevreau, I have been looking for ages but nobody here seems to know where to obtain it.

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  • Binder photo jeanette
    8 February 2008, 7:53AM

    jeanette

    Open Quote To all the marmalade makers out there .I make marmalade at least once a fortnight in the summer , I do B+B and have no room to keep it all plus I cant keep up with the demand .If you have no time now freeze the oranges and make when you have time .Ive been doing it for 20 years ,either freeze whole ,or what I do is half them take out the pips ,put them in a muslin bag ,squeeze out the juice , liquidise or mince the fruit .put the WHOLE lot in a plastic tub with 1 pint of water from your chosen recipe put cling film ontop to keep the fruit and muslin bag down then freeze .When you make remember that you already have 1 pint of water .

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  • Binder photo GILLIAN
    8 February 2008, 1:21PM

    GILLIAN

    Open QuoteAny marmalade left over? you only 4 tbsp try this recipe from AWT it's easy and really delicious. http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/marmaladechicken_71450.shtml

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  • Binder photo lapleau
    10 February 2008, 3:45PM

    lapleau

    Open QuoteI to run a b& b in correze france, and all the french guest go bannanas for the english home made marmalade, espeically with whisky, the freezing tip is ideal, espeically when time is short and the season is too. Have resorted to tinned make your own with add extras as subtitutes. So thanks jeanette for that one.

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  • Binder photo Debbies food
    18 February 2008, 7:07PM

    Debbies food

    Open QuoteThanks so much for your answer. I tried the Potrine de porc which worked but then chatted up my butcher and got the roti de porc avec peau and it was superb. My husband is very grateful to you. We are friends of Rogers in Vendee and we tried your Orange Tatin there and consequently I cooked for a french dinner party last week. Excellent.

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